Caramel corn, caramel apples, apple pie and pumpkin spice. There’s nothing like food to get you into the season! How about a story on simple ways to enjoy fall seasonal favorites?

With a history in popcorn dating back to 1885, GH Cretors makes its caramel corn the old fashioned way: by hand, in copper kettles. Cane sugar, brown rice syrup (a non-GMO alternative to corn syrup with a lower glycemic impact) and real butter is heated over a flame and then stirred slowly by hand to develop its rich complex flavor and crunch. Using 100% natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors, locally grown Non-GMO popcorn, and special, “mushroom” variety popping corn resulting in wonderfully large, fluffy kernels, GH Cretors offers a healthy twist on a delectable classic snack.

I can honestly say that this is some of the best popcorn I have had. One of my favorite foods is caramel corn, and this carmel corn is absolutely delightful. I could easily have sat down and eater the entire bag in one sitting! It literally melts in my mouth. Bill’s favorite popcorn is the Cheese Corn. It was very cheesy! The Chicago Mix gave us the best of both worlds!

If you are looking for a non-GMO snack or just a great snack over, GH Cretors popped corn!

Who doesn’t like spending some time away from the kids and go out with your girlfriends especially during the holidays? I know I do, and I know several other moms who are in the same boat. Dinner and wine normally goes hand in hand. It’s somewhat easy to know what wines go with which foods. However, when it comes to dessert, everybody gets confused to what the rules are. When deciding which wine to pair with your food, you need to think about the acidity, intensity, and sweetness of both the wine and the dessert. A good rule of thumb is that the wine should always be sweeter than the dessert. Here is list of a few desserts and what wines go best with them:

If you are eating an apple pie, look at drink a late-harvest Riesling, Various Ice Wines, Muscat, Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Blueberry Wine, Sauternes, and even pink champagne.

If you are eating something with blueberries, you want Brut Sparkling Wines, Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, Muscat, or Zinfandel.

The most important mix — chocolate and wine. 🙂 You want to pair chocolate with a Late-Harvest Riesling, Raspberry Wine, Black Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, late-harvest Pinot Noir, Banyuls, Grenache, Australian Shiraz, or port.

If you are having cake, you want Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, or Muscat.

If you are having custard or pudding, look for Demi-sec Sparkling Wines, Late-Harvest Riesling, Muscat or Asti Spumanti (my personal favorite!).

If fresh fruit is on the menu, you want a Late-Harvest Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, or Muscat.

The best wines that go with nuts are Port, Brut Sparkling Wine, and Angelica.

How do you decide what to pair with dessert? Or do you serve wine with dessert at all?

I am a fan of gift baskets. Where else can you get lots of yummy food and have it be called a present? It is also pretty nice when everybody in the house can enjoy something from it. Hickory Farms gift baskets don’t disappoint. We had one of these to try over Thanksgiving, and everybody loved it! Besides the excellent cheese and sausage (which we are still munching on a week later), my husband is in love with the cheese cutter that this basket comes with. How many gift basket come with what you need to cut the contents with?

I have to admit that I loved the apple pie cheddar cheese. It was beyond yummy. That is a flavor I can readily admit I’ve never had before. Bill was super excited about the mustard because well, he loves mustard. My only complaint is that this doesn’t come with enough crackers! This makes a great gift for a get together or house that is fan of cheese of sausage (which would be mine!). If anybody wants to know what to get me for Christmas, please send me another! 🙂

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review.”